Mouse Control in the Home (6617)

Cool fall temperatures prompt animals to seek shelter before colder winter temperatures arrive. To keep mice and other unwelcome critters outside, caulk or fill cracks around your windows and foundations that are ¼-inch or larger. Mice can squeeze through spaces as small as the width of a pencil.

If you see evidence of mice inside your house, set several snap traps where you have noticed mouse droppings. Place traps next to walls or objects, not in the center of a room. The best bait is peanut butter. Sometimes a clever mouse will lick the peanut butter off the trap plate without springing the trap. Tying a small piece of bacon to the trap plate with thread will prevent bait stealing.

Live traps can also be used to catch mice, but they are most useful when this rodent population is so high that baiting and setting individual traps is impractical. Live traps can usually be purchased at farm supply stores.

Toxic baits can be used for rodent control; they are not recommended for inside home use, as poisoned mice may die inside walls, and a foul odor will come from decaying carcasses. These odors cannot be eliminated without removing the dead rodent, although the odor will dissipate over time. Dead animal carcasses inside walls may become infested with flies and carpet beetles that may also infest your home.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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